| 1W | 1W | |||
| 1W |
| 1W | ||||
Scorer: Binoy George | Commentator: Andrew Miller
So, that's a wrap. We're at the tasty end now... Capitals are back up again tomorrow in Abu Dhabi, where another win against already-qualified MIE will secure their play-off berth. Vipers need MIE to do them a favour in the first instance, then win their own game against fellow bottom-feeders Sharjah Warriors, and hope for the best! See you tomorrow for double-header excitement.
Colin Munro: "We lost wickets in lumps, Hales and Salty got us off to a great start, we couldn't kick on. Ali Naseer held himself together well, he's shown what a class allrounder he is. I told him to bowl his best ball, unfortunately one ball he gave him his arms. Raza struggled early but caught up well. Depends on these boys tomorrow, if MI do us a favour..."
Sam Billings: "Not very nervous, nothing you can do once you've got out... Raza showed his skill, one shot can get you back in form and after that six into the top tier, no stopping him. I was more aggressive at first to keep the partnership going, but incredible effort by the bowlers. Hales and Salt, when they get going, hard to stop. Incredible hitting, but hang in there and the spinners changed the game. Focussed on tonight, got the win, can focus on tomorrow now."
Sikandar Raza is Player of the Match: "I said to myself, I don't think he'll go short. I'll hold my ground, and if he goes slow into the wicket I'll take it on. He bowled fantastically well, the lessons and confidence and character for a 19-year-old to bowl the 20th over. I'm sorry for him but we needed this win more! Faith keeps me strong, I bowl hard in the nets, power-hitting. I do the hard work because results are not in my control."
10.08pm Well, that was quite the finish. Sikandar Raza's 60 not out from 45 completes the job that Sam Billings' 57 from 36 began. Pathirana was excellent in reply, and Ali Naseer bowled a gutsy final over, up until his final ball. But Vipers pay the price for falling away after their flying start, courtesy Alex Hales and Phil Salt. They are rock-bottom in the standings, while Capitals climb into play-off contention.
Sam: "Vipers now experience what they did to MI Emirates, winning dramatically off the last ball."
Six or bust now!
Is a Super Over loading... ?
Another potential overlap could be South Africa travelling to Pakistan for an ODI series as prep for the 2025 Champions Trophy, pencilled in for mid-February
Noor was offered another year's extension by Sharjah Warriors, but refused to sign the retention notice
Put in to bat, they raced to fifty in 3.3 overs and never looked back against Dubai Capitals
MI have been boosted by the return of Nicholas Pooran but they will be wary of a Capitals line-up that enters the final on the back of four successive wins
The order of the Eliminator and Qualifier 1 was changed, with the Eliminator brought forward from Wednesday to Tuesday and Qualifier 1 pushed back from Tuesday to Wednesday
